The Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB) Demak Laut's divisional election meeting, which was scheduled for yesterday, had been postponed to next month.

This was the result of a complaint filed against the controversial outcome of its recent Youth elections.

Division head Dr Abang Rauf Abang Zen said July 10 has been set for the new meeting and it will be officiated by PBB deputy president and state Housing Minister Abang Johari Tun Openg ( left ).

While Abang Rauf - a known Abang Johari ally - is not expected to be challenged, an interesting contest is expected for his deputy's post where incumbent Bujang Help will take on two challengers - Dr Hazlan Hipni and Padawi Musa.

In the recent Youth elections, incumbent Jolly Merikan, a Kuching City South councillor, lodged an official complaint with PBB secretary-general Ambrose Blikau after he lost narrowly to Wan Hamzah Paiee.

He alleged that delegates from unregistered branches were allowed to vote.

A Merikan supporter claimed that presiding officer Abdul Karim Hamzah, who is Asajaya state assemblyperson and PBB Youth deputy chief, had ignored objections when the status of two unregistered branches was questioned..

Meanwhile, Abang Rauf said he re-scheduled the divisional meeting to allow the Youth leadership time to make a decision on the complaint.

Merikan and his supporters want a fresh contest and delegates from the two unregistered branches to be barred from casting their ballots.

Samariang division

In a related development, Johari supporter Khalid Marzuki easily retained his Samariang division deputy head post yesterday by defeating Said Gapur. Marzuki polled 64 votes against Gapur's 20.

The contest had generated a lot of interest in the division as and party because both contestants are well-known personalities.

Said Gapur, originally from Beladin outside Kuching, had made little secret of his ambition for public elected office. He is known to have been backed by the Adenan Satem ( left ) group.

He had allegedly told friends and associates that the incumbent had been around for too long and had not contributed much to the party and if elected, he would have plans to bring the division forward.

The Samariang division is headed by veteran woman politician and Johari supporter, Sharifah Mordiah Tuanku Fauzi. She is also the head of PBB women's wing and a state assistant minister.

Another blow dealt to the Adenan Satem group was when another Johari-backer Abdul Badri Samat won the Semariang division Youth head post in a three-cornered fight.

Meanwhile, candidates for all posts in the Tupong division - headed by Tupong state assemblyperson Abdul Rahman Daud - are expected to win unopposed when the division meets on July 3.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, two members from the division said the division head had kept all nominations and anyone wishing to submit any nomination had to sign in front of him.

'Quite obviously he (Abdul Rahman) does not want any contest for all posts," they said.

Abdul Rahman is a supporter of the Adenan Satem faction.

TONY THIEN is malaysiakini 's Sarawak-based stringer.